Something Greater

To them [Gentiles] God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27) Reading only the first 26 verses of Paul's letter to the Colossians, it would appear that faith in Christ is a religion. A religion leads one to say, "My relationship with God is based upon what I do, and not do , and what I believe or not believe." A statement framed thusly is a declaration of religion. In religion I am independent and free...I can choose my own criteria for faith and behavior...my thoughts are my own...the only things that matter are my action and my attitude. I can compare myself to others by their actions and attitudes, and I can feel superior and justified . But the moment Paul writes, "...Christ in you...", my religion is shattered . "Christ in you" defines my condition as depending upon Jesus. My relationship with God depends upon the relation b

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known... (Colossians 1:24-25) "A stew boiled is a stew spoiled" ? Contrary to how the word may appear, stewardship is related to stew only by a tenuous stretch of the imagination. The bowl of stew that you enjoy on a cold afternoon is named after the act of taking a bath. (from a Middle English word, stuwen, meaning to bathe). The cook "bathed" meat and vegetables in simmering hot water to create your dinner. Stewardship, however, comes from the Anglo Saxon language: Steward, from Anglo Saxon stiweard, stigweard, fr. sti, stig, house , hall, sty + weard warden ; the position of an officer or employee in a large family or estate, managing domestic concerns, supervisi

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him...(Colossians 1:19-22) The English word, “reconciled”, is from the Latin “reconcilio”, from the Greek “calo”, meaning to call. The literal sense is to call back into union . A lesson in Greek: Apokatallasso: fully reunited (reconciled) Katallasso: mutually changed (“changed down”) Allasso: made different Allos: else (AS “elles”, meaning “other”) Putting it all together, reconciled means: Mutually changed and fully reunited. Reconciliation is closely related to making peace. God made peace through a change on H

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (Colossians 1:15) Families traditionally have honored the first child born to a family , especially the first boy. Is that wrong, right, or just natural? Is it biblical? The Old Testament indicates it was a common custom: Laban (Jacob's uncle) said, "It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. (Genesis 29:26) Reuben (Jacob's son), you are my firstborn, my might, and the firstfruits of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. (Genesis 49:3) Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine." (Exodus 13:2) If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him children, and if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved, then on the day when he assigns his possessions as an inheritance to his sons, he

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities---all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. (Colossians 1:15-18) Jesus is the image of God, writes Paul. What can that mean for us? We have no photographs of Jesus, no portraits were drawn or painted while He lived on earth. Why could Paul have not simply said that Jesus “is the invisible God?” Is an image something less than the real? Is Jesus something less than God? Let's begin our study by looking at the original Greek word that Paul used. “Image” is translated from the Greek word, eikon, meaning a likeness, a statue, or a profile . It could mean a representatio

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Colossians 1:11-12) God provides an inheritance Paul prayed for the Colossians, thanking God that He had qualified them to share in something valuable, something worth passing on. The Greek word for “inheritance” comes from a word that means to break, especially of bread. When the Greeks broke a loaf of bread to share at the dinner table, they used a word that was directly related to the word for inheritance. Every time they broke bread they were acting out the concept of sharing valuable property given by the owner when he died. This is a picture of the sacrifice of Christ . Jesus used this same word when he spoke of his own death: Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat;

"May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." (Colossians 1:11-12) From the day that Paul and Timothy heard of the new believers in Colossae, they began to pray regularly for them. Paul wrote this letter to them to encourage them to join with him in prayer, to cooperate in God's work in their lives. In his prayer, Paul describes two of God's purposes for the Colossian believers: Reflecting God's worth Strengthened with all power Let's focus on the idea of strength , especially as described here in Paul's prayer. The Greek word translated here as strengthened came from a word meaning force, especially miraculous power , from a word meaning to be able or possible. Immediately we see that Paul was praying that God would

Paul writes about thrones created in heaven and earth , visible and invisible. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16) The Greek word for thrones is "thronos", meaning a stately (royal) seat, implying power or ruler . But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: (Matthew 5:34) He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. (Luke 1:52) I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. (Revelation 2:13) "Thrones" could refer to heavenly or earthly kingdoms and power . Paul sought to encourage the Colossian

The word "submission" is not well-liked in our American culture. It brings pictures of slavery, weakness, stifled expression, and tyranny. Yet the Bible shows that submission to authority should be the norm for all Christians . How can we reconcile our negative picture of "door-mat" submission to God's perfect harmony in relating to one another? It is important to place the discussion of submission within the larger framework of the unity of all Christians: I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:1-5) God has rescued us from c

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness... (Titus 1:1) Paul calls himself a servant of God . Servantâ€, translates a Greek word meaning slave, whether literally or figuratively, involuntary or voluntary. It carries the sense of subjection and service. This Greek word comes from a root word meaning to tie or bind. It is closely related to a word meaning to beg. Putting all the meanings together, Paul was describing an intimate, all-consuming relationship with God , one which bound him to obedience and faithful service. It was a relationship based upon need: Paul was compelled to serve God as a poor, starving man is compelled to beg. Is this an unique experience? Did Paul expect his readers to emulate this all-consuming slave-relationship with God? Did Paul endorse slavery as an acceptable social practice? Does the Bibl